The DOJs fraught chicken-industry prosecution; and an EU courts landmark M&A decision
In the US, the Department of Justice\u2019s drawn-out criminal prosecution of chicken suppliers over cartel claims has come to an end \u2014 again. The acquittal of five industry executives marks the third time that the DOJ has prosecuted the men \u2014 a defeat that may prove damaging not just to the reputation of the DOJ\u2019s antitrust division, but also to its ability to encourage whistleblowers to come forward in exchange for immunity deals. But this isn\u2019t the end of the chicken price-fixing saga as prosecutors gear up for two more trials against other defendants in October and April. Also on the podcast: How an historic EU court ruling on Illumina-Grail deal is likely to boost the European Commission\u2019s confidence in tackling deals targeting smaller companies.